Keeping Kitty
by O.P.'s Girl
Summary: Heero has an encounter in an alley that changes his life. Post EW. Comments and criticism always welcome


Chapter 1: Alley Cat  
  
Heero paused on the sidewalk, shifting the shopping bags in his hand to ensure the straps would not break from the heavy load. Had he been a more particular person, he would have demanded that his groceries be doubled bagged back at the store. However, he had just noted the carelessness of the bag-boy, modified his handling to ensure the straps would remain intact, and made a mental note to shop at another store in the future. Reminding others of how to do their job correctly was not something to which he was inclined.  
  
The night was falling quickly and the sidewalks were nearly empty as the inhabitants of the city hurried home from their jobs to waiting homes and families. Heero took his time, avoiding puddles that remained from a storm earlier in the day. He glanced up as light from an open doorway spilled over onto him, then dismissed it as the sight registered. Another person shedding the burden of her day and returning home to her children. Happy calls broke the silence of the night before the door was shut. Heero noted the faces of the children though the window as their joyful cries echoed in his ears. There was no one waiting for him in his small, cold apartment.  
  
Heero never consciously acknowledged that he missed not having anyone to welcome him at the end of the day. But on days such as this, when it was overcast and cold, and all around he saw the evidence of others hurrying to loved ones, he felt a twinge inside. He was never sure what the twinge meant and did not investigate. It was no more in his nature to explore his feelings than to correct others at their jobs. He may trust his gut feelings and follow his heart, but that did not extend to probe the reasons behind the feelings.   
  
Satisfied with the adjustments he had made to the straps, Heero continued on his way. Streetlights began flickering on overhead and Heero watched his shadow move on the ground him, a black silhouette gliding over the cracks and litter. The apartment buildings began to look less affluent as he progressed and eventually the streets became more cluttered with trash.   
  
Heero was not completely satisfied with his current lodgings, but had chosen them more for cover than for comfort. His work for the Preventers required infiltration and he did not was to leave a trail for anyone to follow. His current apartment was paid for in cash and his landlady, an eccentric woman with thirty-two cats, could not even remember his name from day to day. Not that he had given her his real name.   
  
Quatre had offered him lodgings at the other side of the city in one of his houses, and, although the other pilots had accepted, Heero had declined. At the time Heero had told himself it was because he required silence to work and a less obvious companion than the famous Winner heir; but recently he was suspecting that there was another reason.   
  
Heero was becoming more and more aware of the differences between himself and the other pilots. During the battles, they had all been oriented on the same goal: Defeating the enemy, whomever it had been at the time. But now that the fighting was over, the others were finding their place in the new setting. They had all eventually ended up with the Preventers, having spent too much time training and living the life of a soldier to go back to the life of a citizen easily. But the others were adjusting well, while Heero was still struggling to find reason for his existence in the now peaceful world. And struggling with himself was not a mission to which Heero was accustomed.   
  
His occupation with the Preventers, while enough to occupy his time, was not as mentally or physically demanding as what he was trained for. He was at a loss when it can to hobbies and avoided after work socialization. It made him uncomfortable to mingle with others ands watch them laugh and enjoy themselves. Somehow he could not connect with them.   
  
Heero had reached the conclusion that it boiled down to one thing. Emotions. The others recognized theirs, showed them and knew how to deal with them. Even Trowa expressed feelings with the lift of an eyebrow or a quirking of the lips. Duo had his humor, Quatre his kindness and Wufei his sense of justice. Heero, on the other hand, was ill equipped to deal with such things, thanks to his rigorous training. He was troubled by this, but never allowed it to show. But he suspected that Quatre knew of his dilemma, although the Arabian was too polite and respectful to comment on it without Heero first broaching the subject.  
  
Heero had allowed his pace to slow as he contemplated the unresolved issue. He halted again to shift the bags, noting the fraying of one of the cheap plastic handles.   
  
His preoccupation was not enough to overcome years of intense training to perfect his senses. So when a barely audible cry emanated from the alley he was passing, he was instantly alert. Shifting the bags into one hand, he slid the other toward his hidden weapon tucked into the waist of his jeans. Although he had resolved not to kill anymore, a gun was a pretty influential item in tight spots.   
  
He sidled to the brick wall of the alley and pressed his back against it, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the alley after the glow of the street lights. He could make out the forms of two men fumbling in the dark and strained to hear their muttered words.   
  
"Christ, Jones. How could you miss her?" the shorter of the two men grumbled to his companion as he tripped over an empty box.   
  
"How was I to know there was a brat in there?" the other man snapped back as he shifted trash cans, obviously searching for something. "Our orders were for the parents. There wasn't supposed to be any kids to witness it. It's not my fault."  
  
"Quit whining," the short man retorted. "Just find her and eliminate the problem so we can get out of here before the police come."  
  
Heero pressed closer to the wall, scanning the alley. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly as he spotted the probable object of the men's search. A small child dressed in a thin nightdress and clutching a ragged stuffed rabbit, was crouched behind a can near the alley's entrance. Her eyes were clamped shut and she was trembling. As Heero watched, the short man moved the can she was behind and gave a triumphant shout as she bolted. He grabbed her arm, clutching it cruelly as he lifted her off her feet.   
  
Heero waged a split second internal battle before dropping his bags and stepping out into the mouth of the alley.   
  
"Can I help you?" he asked. The two men paused in their actions, the little girl dangling between them.   
  
The taller man gave a feral grin. "No. Just catching an alley cat that was causing trouble. Problem solved." The little girl gave a frightened whimper. Heero glanced at the girl, his brief look providing him with several details. He judged her age to be about four, observed that she was obviously not comfortable with the men, and that a bruise, already visible through the thin cloth, was beginning to form on her arm. The two men appeared to be the only one's present, and neither were in peak physical condition.  
  
"May I ask what your intentions are towards the girl?" Heero asked calmly, sliding his hand slowly towards his weapon to withdraw it. His hand paused as he reconsidered. A shot would echo in the brick alleyway and undoubtably bring witnesses.   
  
The short man moved menacingly towards him and gave a short "No."  
  
"That's what I thought." Heero responded and sprang forward, abandoning his move towards his gun in favor of hand to hand combat. Countering the short man's attack, he easily fended off the man's blows and quickly knocked him unconscious. He whipped around in time to meet the attack by the second man, who had dropped the girl in surprise at the ease in which Heero had dispatched his partner. Heero saw her scurry to the side as he made short work of disabling the taller man. In a few seconds both men were unconscious at his feet. Looking around, his eyes fell on a large dumpster and he dragged the men over to it and with some difficulty lifted them into it and secured the lid.  
  
Turning around, Heero scanned the area for the girl. To his surprise, she was not hiding but standing in the entrance to the alleyway, regarding him with large violet eyes, a dirty finger in her mouth. The rabbit dangled from her hand and swayed with each deep breath she drew, her chest heaving under her nightgown. Her bare feet stuck out from below her dirty nightgown and the light from the street beyond the alleyway shone through her long hair.   
  
"Are you all right?" he asked coolly. As if the words were a trigger, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his legs, sobbing. Heero stiffened involuntarily, then clumsily reached down and picked the girl up. She hugged him around the neck and sobbed more into his shirt. When she had calmed down a bit, Heero pulled back and looked at her in the face. She stared at him out of red-rimmed eyes and sniffed, her nose running.   
  
Heero pushed out of his mind the thought of what she had just wiped all over his shirt and asked as gently as he could, "Where do you live?"  
  
The girl buried her face back in his shirt and he knelt down, standing her in front of him. "Tell me where you live," he repeated more sternly.   
  
The girl did not seem to notice his cold tone and recited in a whisper "534 Hitchin Street Apartment 5A" in response. Heero nodded to her, satisfied that the girl had been taught her address. He turned to the building on his right, her apartment building. The rear entrance was standing open and he walked towards it, senses alert for any more attacks.   
  
He studied the lock on the door, and noted the recent scratches, indicating a forced entry into the building. Pushing the door open with his shoulder, Heero peered up the dimly lit stairwell beyond. He listened attentively for a few seconds, but beyond the little girl's dwindling sniffles he heard no noises. Picking the girl back up, he cautiously climbed the stairs, shifting the girl in his arms so that he could reach his gun if necessary.   
  
Upon reaching the fifth floor, he silently slid the girl out of his arms and placed her behind him. She seemed to realize the need for stealth and fell silent. In the tense atmosphere he slowly opened the door. The hallway beyond was dark with one lone flickering bulb to light the area.   
  
Heero's eyes darted around the empty corridor, searching for hidden threats. Finding none, he proceeded to the door of her apartment with one hand on the girl, holding her close behind him. The door to the apartment was slightly ajar, and swung lightly back and forth from an invisible breeze, almost as if the apartment itself was breathing. He nudged the door open wider with his foot and glanced at the mess inside.   
  
It vaguely occurred to Heero that children, normal children, should not be subjected to what he was about to find. He turned and looked sternly down at the girl. She looked up at him trustingly, meeting his eyes.   
  
"I want you to stay here and face the wall until I tell you to move. Do you understand?" Heero instructed. He picked her up and turned her towards the wall just inside the door and out of immediate view of the hallway or anyone who might come into the apartment. She nodded shyly and stuck her finger back in her mouth, clutching her bunny securely.   
  
Heero watched her for a few seconds, making sure she would stay where he placed her, then turned to investigate the room. Stepping by overturned furniture, he paused for a split second at the sight of a body on the opposite end of the room, lying sprawled through another doorway. Making his way towards it, he noticed a second body draped over the bed in the room beyond. The victims were obviously caught by surprise and did not have a chance to retaliate.   
  
Kneeling swiftly by the body in the doorway, his face an impassive mask, he saw that it was a young man, a few years older than himself, who had been shot several times. Death was immediate, Heero observed distantly as he rose to check the second body. The stillness of the apartment was oppressive, and he felt like he was making his way through a tomb. He breathed lightly, trying not to disturb the hushed atmosphere.   
  
Heero remained stone faced as he reached the half-dressed woman on the bed. Shallow breaths rattled in her chest, which was coated with blood. Heero bent and quickly pressed his fingers to her neck, feeling the faint irregular pulse. Identifying her wounds, he knew there was nothing he could do for her. She stirred under his gaze. Her eyes opened with difficulty and Heero found himself staring into violet eyes, a mirror image of the child's.  
  
"My baby?" the woman whispered, struggling to form each word.   
  
"Alive," Heero responded curtly. She gave a slight smile, which dropped off her face quickly as if the effort was too much.  
  
"Please keep her safe." She whispered anxiously, weakening with the effort it took to communicate. "She is all alone now."  
  
Heero stared at her for a split second, then gave a short nod. The woman smiled again as her last breath rattled in her chest and the life died from her eyes. Heero reached out and closed her eyelids, then stood and gazed at her still form. He pulled the bloodied sheet over her body, giving her some cover. Death had robbed her of the slightest amount of dignity.  
  
Turning abruptly, Heero scanned the room for any evidence of the cause of the violence. Seeing nothing obvious, he elected to leave the building quickly in order to avoid any goons coming to investigate their comrades and to finish the job. He swiftly made his way out to the exit, stooping to pick up a framed picture of the child and her two parents from an end table. Tucking it into his pocket, he glanced over the room one more time and then went to the child, who hadn't moved from the door.   
  
"Let's go," he said shortly.   
  
The little girl looked up at him, perplexed. She looked around the devastated room and then back into Heero's face.   
  
"Where's my Mommy? I want my Mommy," she whimpered.   
  
Heero gritted his teeth and stared down at her. The little girl wilted under his glare and began to cry, the whimpers turning into loud racking sobs that shook her whole body. Heero inhaled deeply and picked her up. She stiffened in his arms, twisting her body to escape. Heero tightened his hold and after a few moments she slumped in his arm, still weeping.   
  
He closed his eyes, trying to imagine what someone else would do in this situation. His mind turned to Quatre. What would the gentle Arabian do in his place? Heero pondered the question, then began to rub the girl's back the way he had seen Quatre when he comforted one of his nieces after she had fallen and scrapped her knee.   
  
"Your Mother is gone. You are coming with me," Heero said uncomfortably, hoping he was doing the right thing. He bent down and picked the stuffed rabbit the little girl had dropped. He pressed it to her and she took it, clutching it to her chest.   
  
"What is your name?" he asked her but she just shook her head, burrowing her face in his shirt. "All right, you can tell me later," Heero conceded.  
  
He checked out the hallway and found it still silent. He moved swiftly though the corridor and descended the stairs. Reaching the door exiting the building, he cautiously opened it. The alleyway beyond was silent and motionless. He quickly slipped through the darkness and reached the sidewalk where miraculously his groceries remained.   
Glancing at the child in his arms, Heero realized that the crying and fear had taken their toll on her and she was asleep. He scrapped his intention to set her down and make her walk so he could carry the bags. He looked at the bags again and frowned. Shifting her to one side, Heeo bent and grasped the bag handles with one hand. He gritted his teeth and hoped the straps would make it to his apartment.  
  
Next time he would demand the groceries be double bagged. 


End file.
